Extension ladder and trestle.



w. L. GLIDDEN, EXTENSION LADDER AND TRESTLE.

APPLICATION TILED OUT. 27, 1908.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

2 SHEBT$SHEET 1.

WITNESSES 9W 1 0 amwfi W. L. GLIDDEN. EXTENSION LADDER A'N TRESTLE.APPLIOATION FILED 0017.27, 1908 %7,m.. Patented Feb. 1,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITH/E5358: V INVE/VTQR, 9 {I W219i Z. G'Qddan ATTORNEYS iii an WRIGHTI1. GLIDDEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

EXTENSION LADDER AND TRESTLE.

Patented Feb. 1, 191d.

Serial No. 459,717.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WRIGHT L. GrLIDDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Extension-Ladders and Trestles,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to extension ladders or trestles and its objectis to provide a solid and substantial base upon which may be sustainedan adjustable extension that is easily elevated or lowered and rigidlyretained in any desired height, as will be more fully explained in thefollowing specification, set forth in the claims and shown in thedrawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewthrough the upper part of the base. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4is a side view showing the device folded.

.This device is adapted to be used as an extension ladder or two or moreof them may be used as a trestle to support scaffolding. The base iscomposed of two ladders 5 and 6 hinged together at their upper ends, thehinge 7 being of the two sections 8 and 9 with jaws 10 to embrace theladders and they are secured thereto by screws or bolts.

The rungs of the ladders 5 and G are preferably rectangular in crosssection and to corresponding rungs on the two ladders are secured thetoggles 11 pivoted to the rungs and to themselves so as to fold or openas shown in Figs. 3 and 4.. Each toggle section has a cooperating jaw 12whose function will be explained later.

The upper rung of each ladder is rounded and to one of them is hinged abail 13 which may be swung over 011 to the rung of the other ladder andin the path of one of the rungs of the extension let after it isadjusted to its proper height.

The extension 14 is of sufiicient width to fitwithin the base and israised or lowered to any desired point and supported thereat by the bail13. In adjusting the extension it is raised to allow the bail to beswung outward so that the rungs may pass up or down but the lower endsof the sides of the extension are always within the jaws 12 of thetoggles. When the ladders 5 and 6 are spread apart the jaws 12 grip theextension and the greater the weight put upon the latter, the morefirmly it is held.

In order to more firmly brace the base the lower ends of each ladder arespread apart and various other means may be resorted to to render thedevice solid and substantial.

It is obvious that the parts may be modified or otherwise arrangedwithout departing from the essential features above described.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an extension ladder, the combination with a base composed ofladders hinged together and adapted to be opened at an angle to eachother, of a centrally disposed extension, brace toggles, jaws pivoted tothe ends of the toggles and adapted to fit the rungs of the ladders,guide flanges adjacent to the coupling of the toggles, and a bail hingedon a rung of the base ladders to support the extension.

2. In an extension ladder, the combination with a base composed ofladders hinged at their upper ends, of jaws adapted to fit the rungs ofthe ladders, brace toggles pivoted on the jaws, guide flanges at thejoint of the toggles, an extension adapted to be engaged by the guideflanges and a hinged bail on' one of the rungs of a base ladder andadapted to be supported by a rung of the opposite ladder to support theextension.

3. In an extension ladder, the combination with a base comprising hingedladders adapted to be arranged at an angle to each other, of jaws havingears and fitted on the rungs of the base ladders, an extension carriedbetween the base ladders, clamping jaws pivoted on the ears and engagingthe extension, and a bail supported by the upper rungs of the base andadapted to support the extension.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVRIGHT L. GLIDDEN.

Witnesses Joe. R. STEIN, MAE W. CLINTON.

